September seems to be a great month for new books. There are so many September 2025 book releases that seem like great books.
I know I don’t need any books right now. Who am I kidding? I always need new books. But I know I want to try and read some of these. Maybe once I get some of my TBR knocked out, then I’ll try to get some of these.
I already know that there are quite a few of these books that are gaining traction or have been gaining traction for a while now.
I’d love to hear about some of the books that you are excited to read!
September 2025 book releases
There are quite a few of these books on the September 2025 book releases that I’m sure many of you will like. They definitely seem like they would be very interesting reads and are probably worth reading.
If I could read them all right now, I know I would!
Play Nice
I’ve been hearing so much about Play Nice, and I know a lot of people are excited about reading this one. But I also know that Rachel Harrison is a pretty popular author, so that plays a part in it.
The only book that I’ve read by her is The Return, and I wasn’t exactly a fan of that one. Honestly, I can’t remember why, and I haven’t visited one of the books since.
I want to change that, though, because that could have just been an off thing.
Here is what Play Nice is about.
Clio seems to have a picture-perfect life. As a stylist and an influencer, she does have a tendency to only post the good parts. But she has a secret that isn’t exactly glamorous. That secret? She grew up in a haunted house. In fact, it was possessed. When Clio’s parents divorced, her mother, Alex, moved the family to a house that was apparently occupied by a demon. Or so Alex says. Clio’s sisters don’t remember that, and ultimately, the court determines Alex is not fit for parenthood. After going off the deep end, she’s stripped of her parental rights. Alex knows that she is right, though. She even wrote a book about the experience in the house.
When Alex suddenly passes, the possessed house (supposedly) is passed to Clio and her sisters. Her sisters see the house as a childhood trauma, but Clio sees it as an opportunity for house flipping content. As the makeover begins, Clio starts to realize that her mom may have been right. When memories begin to come back, Clio decides to finally read her mom’s book. As she reads the book, memories start to resurface, and whatever is in the house becomes more real and sinister to her.
Hot Wax
This is the first time I’ve heard about Hot Wax and the author M. L. Rio. I just might have to try and read this one, though, because it sounds pretty interesting.
In a way, I can actually relate to Suzanne because around the same age is when I started to dive deeper into music as well.
Here is what Hot Wax is about.
In 1989, Suzanne was ten and had just started to become drawn to her dad’s world of electric guitars and cars. When her mom remarries, Suzanne takes on the opportunity to tag along on the concert tour. But fame has sharp fangs that nobody seems to realize. As the band’s popularity goes up the charts, there are power struggles that just might set the band up for a bloody course.
Suzanne was the only one to see the acts of violence, and she spent the next twenty-nine years just trying to disappear. Even though she loved music, she decided to trade that in for the quiet suburbs and the company of her mild husband, Rob. When her father passes away, it brings back memories of the past that she’s tried so hard to bury. Instead of keeping it there, she hits the road to find answers, and it ultimately brings back her feelings of desire, adventure, and the person she wanted to be. But Rob wants her to come back to where she belongs. He follows her cross-country and corners her in a desperation of her own.
A Killer Wedding
The cover of this one kind of gives me cozy thriller vibes. I’m not sure if that was meant to be the case it but that’s the vibe that it gives off.
With that being said, you might like this book for that reason.
This is actually the first time that I’m hearing about this book, and I actually kind of want to see if I like this one.
Here is what A Killer Wedding is about.
Christine is lucky, and she can’t quite believe it. Gloria is iconic and the founder of the beauty empire Glo. Gloria has personally chosen Christine to cover her grandson’s wedding for Bespoke. Bespoke is a cult fashion magazine, and every “famous” bride dreams of being featured in it. But it feels too good to be true.
But that’s because it is.
Someone finds Gloria dead the first morning of the weekend, and the family wants to keep it a secret so the wedding can continue. When her family gives Christine a warning to keep things on the down low, she can’t help but think that one of them might be the one who did it. Nearly everyone has a motive, and as she navigates their world, she realizes that the rich and elite aren’t always as they seem.
Bad Things Happened in This Room
Bad Things Happened in This Room is one of the September 2025 book releases that I actually kind of want to get my hands on. I love love love creepy books, and this is one that sounds pretty creepy.
Here is what Bad Things Happened in This Room is about.
Willow’s life is a dream. A weird and crazy dream. Her days are in a loop and don’t flow like she would like. Is her husband Liam’s rules keeping her trapped? Or is it the darkness in her own mind?
The only connection to the world outside of her four walls is a girl named Sarah. Her visits to Willow’s garden give her some hope. As things start to crack in her controlled existence, scary truths start to come through and turning the familiar into something scary. As the wallpaper starts to peel back, it reveals haunting messages in the walls. The house has a life of its own.
When Sarah disappears, Willow has to come to terms with the darkness of her past that’s lurking deep in her brain. As she tries to figure out what happened, Sarah has to come to terms with whether she is a prisoner of her own home or her mind.
The October Film Haunt
The October Film Haunt is another one of the September 2025 book releases that I’m actually pretty excited to read as well.
It seems like there’s an uprise in thrillers and horror books that kind of revolve around film and film sets. I guess it’s for good reason because there’s an audience for it!
Here is what The October Film Haunt is about.
Jorie was a rising star of the October Film Haunt. At least she was ten years ago. She was a part of a small group of three who were enthusiastic about scary movies and would camp out at the filming locations of their favorite scary movies. In return, they share a lot of this love through their popular blog. One night, they decide to stay in a graveyard that was in a Proof a Demons. It just so happens to be one of the creepiest cult films that was ever made. As they stay there, things start to unravel.
But now Jorie has an isolated life with her son in Vermont. After her blog entry, Proof of Demons, where she stretches the truth, goes viral, she’s hit with hysteria, backlash, and the death of a woman. Now she’s put everything behind her, including her love for horror.
That is, until she receives a videotape in the mail. She’s worried that someone is filming her.
As things get more dangerous and become more strange, Jories has to search for the truth before everything is taken away from her.
The Wasp Trap
I kind of feel like this is going to be a really good book being released for the September 2025 book releases.
I can see that many of you would probably enjoy this one too!
Here is what The Wasp Trap is about.
Six friends come back together to celebrate the life of their ex-employer, who just passed away. This person was a professor who brought them together in 1999 to build a dating website.
A night that was supposed to be full of nostalgia ends up becoming a deadly game when they find themselves at gunpoint. They are required to give away their darkest secret to the group, or they have to pick each other off one by one.
Soon, they realize that the situation they are in is because of their shared past. Back in the day, they were the ones who helped create the love questionnaire for the dating site that wound up becoming a tool to weed out The Wasp Trap. The tragic events of that summer just might help uncover the killer hiding in plain sight.
Breathe In, Bleed Out
Breathe In, Bleed Out is another of the September 2025 book releases that I’m going to have to add to my TBR.
If you have an interest in slashers, then this is probably going to be right up your alley. The best thing is that the cover reminds me so much of 80s and 90s horror book covers, and that makes me want it even more!
Here is what Breathe In, Bleed Out is about.
Hannah has been running from her past since she escaped from her dangerous wilderness trip without her fiancé. No one has found out what happened when Ben died, and Hannah wants to keep it that way. His ghost still haunts her with vivid nightmares that are ruining her life. When her friend group gets an exclusive invitation to a spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, Hannah agrees in hopes that something will change.
Even though she is skeptical of the Guru’s belief in the supernatural, Hannah starts to heal through yoga, sound baths, and hot springs that are offered alongside a tech-free time. What was supposed to be a peaceful journey to self-discovery falls into a fight to survive when a killer starts picking people off in horrible ways. The body count starts to rise, and Hannah’s sanity starts to unravel. This leaves her to confront her dark past and figure out that the truth of this monster is doing his best to kill the vibe.
Bad Date
I have to say that I love the cover of Bad Date. This is a story that I feel like most women will relate to in a way. However, I did read a review on this that kind of let out a spoiler, and if it’s true, then this story has a pretty big twist to it!
Here is what Bad Date is about.
Fay is a famous actress, and like most of them, she’s a divorced single mom. She’s also unfortunately in love. The last thing she wants in a man is another superfan. When she finds a boyfriend who doesn’t stalk her, he disappears from her life. Then her friend, Poppy, helps her join an exclusive dating app under a false identity. Then Oliver takes the bait, but he likes to play games too. There can only be one winner.
No Rest for the Wicked
No Rest for the Wicked is another of the September 2025 book releases that I really want to read. I love stories that kind of revolve around Halloween. I love stories that have something a little more twisted and sinister behind Halloween.
Here is what No Rest for the Wicked is about.
Twenty years ago, forensic pathologist Dolores left her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin. Little Horton is famous for their Halloween celebrations and their history of violent deaths that are linked to it. For Dolores, Little Horton is a place she fled from family and bad memories. That is, until the FBI her to tell her that her father, former mayor, now US Senator, is missing.
No matter how often she counts to “wake up,” it doesn’t change that her father disappeared. His final warning to her is to trust no one. Now that she’s back home, her family gives her a creepy welcome. With Halloween coming, she has to face what she left behind before it’s too late to find her father.
Old Money
Old Money is one of the September 2025 book releases that I feel like a lot of people are going to like. I know many of you probably don’t like the idea of reading books about rich people, but I know I kind of do.
There just seems to be so many secrets behind people who have more money than they need.
Here is what Old Money is about.
Twenty years ago, Caitlin was sixteen years old and died suddenly on the Fourth of July. Like all the other wealthy families of Briar’s, Caitlin joins hers at the country club’s annual party. It’s said that her death was just a tragic accident, and she slipped by the pool.
Her cousin, Alice, knows the truth. Caitlin was murdered, and Alice saw who it was.
Twenty years later, Alice comes back looking for answers. The country club where her cousin died hasn’t even changed. Its secrets, though, are very hidden. The powerful people there want it to stay that way.
The Wives of Hawthorne Lane
Hawthorne Lane is another book that I actually want to get my hands on. I don’t know what it is about books that deal with a “small” community that goes wrong that always catches my attention.
It always seems like women are super catty for almost any reason. I hate it, but The Wives of Hawthorne Lane only reinforces that.
Here is what The Wives of Hawthorne Lane is about.
Hawthorne Lane is the best place to live. It’s the street with beautiful trees lined up by the street, and beautiful homes are the envy of the town. Every Halloween, those who live there come together to do their famous Fall Festival. This year, though, someone isn’t going to survive.
As the investigation occurs, it’s clear that there’s a lot more going on at Hawthorne Lane than the investigators realize. Four women with secrets they’d kill if it got out are now at the center of the investigation.
One of them is Georgina. She’s the queen bee and a perfectionist who pays the price for her status. Then there’s Audrey. She’s the beautiful, bold neighbor with a skyrocketing corporate career who has a marriage on the rocks. Then there’s Libby, who is a working mother and is struggling with her divorce and having to parent a teenage son. Last but not least is Hannah. She’s the newbie with a mysterious past that’s coming back hard.
As the clock starts to tick, things start to cross for them unexpectedly. Who is going to pay the price for the secrets they’ve tried so hard to bury?
Spider to the Fly
I don’t know how I would feel about finding someone who looks exactly like me. When reading the synopsis, I almost assumed that maybe she had a twin that she didn’t know about. But having someone who has a face similar to mine would kind of make me freak out just a bit.
And that’s why Spider to the Fly stands out to me.
Here is what Spider to the Fly is about.
Ellie became obsessed with the I-64 murders when she saw her face as one of the victims. They are identical in almost every way. The woman isn’t her, but it could have been. As she finds the story of her doppleganger’s death, she writes a bestselling book about the killer.
Four years later, the killer still hasn’t been caught, and his victims are starting to climb. A lot of the bodies are unidentified, but with Ellie’s network, that’s starting to change.
Since Ellie has been able to help identify multiple victims, the police pull her in to help. When Ellie’s therapist is arrested for the murders, she tries even harder to find the killer.
The Hunger We Pass Down
There’s a giveaway for this book on Goodreads that I’ve been trying my best to win! So I guess you can say that The Hunger We Pass Down is my highly anticipated book of September.
I’m pretty excited about getting the chance to read this one, hopefully soon!
Here is what The Hunger We Pass Down is about.
Alice is a single mother and is drowning in everything she has to deal with. She has a popular online cloth diaper shop, a resentful teenage daughter named Luna, and a son named Luca. With that being said, Alice feels as if she can’t get everything done. By the end of the day, all she’s able to do is fall to the couch with a bottle of wine every night.
When Alice wakes up one morning and everything has been done, it’s a relief. Everything is clean and put together, but no one admits to helping, and Alice doesn’t remember doing it. Did someone come to her home to do her chores?
She should be creeped out, but having the extra time has let her spend time with her kids and mom. But her mom starts to share some creepy history of their family from WWII. The stories she explains eventually become hard to ignore.
One of Us
One of Us is another one of the September 2025 book releases that I’m captivated by and can’t wait for. Twins’ dynamic has always been something that has fascinated me. I’ve never been all that close to a twin, but always hearing about their relationship makes me wonder if anything could ever happen between them.
I’m sure there have been instances of these situations, but they aren’t common, and you don’t often hear about them. For the most part, you hear about them always being super close, almost inseparable. In this story, you get a glimpse of a situation like this.
Here is what One of Us is about.
In 1915, the world was undergoing significant changes. For thirteen-year-old twins Bolt and Eleanor, they can read each other’s minds, and everything is falling apart for them. When their mom dies, they have to leave their home to take care of a brutal con man who says he his their Uncle Charlie. He’s the only “family” they have left. One night, after one of his poker games, his rage ends up in murder, and the twins pick up and flee.
Redemption shows up from Mr. Jenglin. He’s the founder of the Emporium of Wonders and the father of many of the people there. He takes the two of them to travel by train across America. Sometimes it’s brutal, but the exhibitions flash amazement for them.
For their lifetime, they have only had each other. But now Eleanor and Bolt are part of something bigger. But Bolt finds himself getting deeper into the clan, and Eleanor pulls away from him. When their Uncle gets on their trail, the twins find themselves in something more terrifying than just might change their lives forever.
Conclusion to new books coming out in September
There are so many great new books coming out this month, and I can’t wait to hear what you guys think about some of these books!
Make sure to save this post and come back to tell me what books you did and didn’t like! I would love to hear from you.
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